Canyon of the Magi

The Canyon of the Magi is a hidden valley in the Aranoch desert presumably north of Lut Gholein where the Tomb of Tal Rasha lies together with 6 other hidden tombs that are burial places of 6 other Horadrim sorcerers.

Background

The canyon was likely called something else before Tal Rasha and fellow Horadrim mages were buried there, since the tombs were ancient even before they reached the location. The tombs themselves were likely called something else as well.

Tal Rasha screaming in pain

Tal Rasha led the campaign for hunting down and capturing the Prime Evils, including Baal during the Sin War together with Jered Cain. When the Prime Evils were exiled from Hell into the Mortal Realm by the Lesser Evils a group of mages brought together by the Archangel Tyrael organised themselves in order to defeat them and bind them to Soulstones which were provided by Tyrael. They called themselves the Horadrim.

After finding and capturing Mephisto in Kehjistan's jungles, burying him under what later became Kurast, the Horadrim chased Baal across the ocean to the Western continent, in to the Aranoch desert. Tal Rasha presumed Baal was heading north toward Scosglen, but mysteriously the demon changed its path and took refuge within the desert city of Lut Gholein.

Tal Rasha ordered his team to hold the attack and to patiently await for Baal to continue his escape. Three days later, Baal fled Lut Gholein heading to the north, as Tal Rasha had predicted.

Baal playing with the Barbarians.

A few miles into the desert, the adventurers caught up with Baal and attacked him. The demon unleashed the fury of his powers upon the men. The earth exploded under them and swallowed many men. Fire erupted from the broken earth burning everything and everyone on its path.

In a desperate attempt, Baal hurled a spell at Tal Rasha unsuccessfully. Unharmed, but at a price, Tal Rasha rose from the earth to find the Soulstone given to him by Tyrael had shattered into small shards. The men pressed their attack and defeated Baal. Tal Rasha walked toward Baal's battered body and slashed his throat jamming the largest Soulstone shard into his open wound. Baal's spirit was sucked into the shard, trapping the demon.

Archangel Tyrael appeared before the men and led them toward seven ancient tombs deep in the desert. There the men were instructed to build a binding stone etched with runes of containment. They magically crafted unbreakable chains to secure the binding stone to the chamber's walls. Tal Rasha ordered to be chained and bound to the stone. To everyone's astonishment, Tyrael jammed the shattered Soulstone into Tal Rasha's chest, allowing Baal's spirit to flood into his body as host, thus completing the prison, dooming Tal Rasha to struggle for eternity against Baal.

The other six tombs became resting places for other powerful Horadrim mages, and acts to some degrees as decoys in the Canyon of the Magi.

The Horadrim pushed on to attack and capture Diablo, imprisoning him in what would be Khanduras, creating a Horadric Monastary on top of the demon's prison.

The Wanderer fighting Tyrael in order to free Baal.

Centuries later, Diablo freed himself and travelled in the guise of the Wanderer to the Aranoch desert with Marius to free his older brother. As the two reached the Tomb of Tal Rasha, Tyrael caught up with the pair and attacked the Wanderer to prevent him from freeing his brother.

Baal lured Marius with a facade image, asking for help. Marius could only see a poor man bounded by chains, impaled by an object on the chest. Tyrael's gaze turned around toward Marius, and he called out to him not to pull the shard out. Marius grabbed the shattered Soulstone shard and pulled it free from Tal Rasha's body.

Tyrael left the Wanderer to tell Marius he just ensured the doom of Sanctuary and told him to go to the Temple of Light, in the eastern city of Kurast. He should enter the gate to Hell and take the stone to the Hellforge to destroy it. He unfortunately did not do so, and later ended up in an insane asylum.

What has happened to the canyon after these events is unknown.

References

• Diablo II the game dialogues.